


Terrorous Caverns

by TheAngelofFate



Series: noticed there was a lack in Oscar & Ozpin stories so I decided to rectify that [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Let my boi hugs Rooster Teeth you cowards, Oscar Pine Needs a Hug, Ozpin Needs a hug, Ozpin did nothing wrong, ozpin cares about Oscar and no one can tell me otherwise, ozpin defense squad, papa Ozpin loves his boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:07:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21576532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAngelofFate/pseuds/TheAngelofFate
Summary: In which a run in with a unexplainable magical phenomena after the events of Haven, opened Ozpin's eyes and showed him how much Oscar meant to him then all his other incarnations.
Relationships: Ozpin & Oscar Pine
Series: noticed there was a lack in Oscar & Ozpin stories so I decided to rectify that [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552897
Comments: 6
Kudos: 131





	Terrorous Caverns

**Author's Note:**

> I got this idea over on Tumblr from and I decided that because of it's length, to post it on here as another oneshot for the multi-stories I'm doing for Rwby!
> 
> Please excuse the randomness of this story

It had been such a perfect day, such a peaceful and serene day, that started off well all things considered. They had all awoken early, raising just before the sun had peaked over the mountain passes. Ozpin has instructed Qrow to wake everyone up for early morning training, he couldn’t help but chuckle as he watch each of his former student slump their way into the living room, clothes haphazardly on their persons, hair eschewed. 

They stood looking ready to fall over with exhaustion.

Even Oscar was leaning against the wall opposite them, eyes dropping shut every few seconds, Oz smiled fondly, and using his aura to give the boy the energy to stay awake, lightly tapping the boy’s shoulder as he did so. Oscar blinked, momentarily confused but realized rather quickly and silently thanked the old man.

 _“Please, tell them that today’s training will be different from last times.”_ He politely asked Oscar, the young boy rubbed at his eyes, and looked at him.

“Why can’t you do it?”

Oz smiled again, because Oscar was actually _pouting_ at having been woken up, like any typical teen his age, _“I did not wish to forcefully take control, Hazel had been different, **you** had been in danger with his strength. But I think you are more then capable of spreading my message a crossed without my control.”  
_

“Well yeah, I can but—”

“Oscar?” Ruby interrupted, Oscar blushed almost immediately at having been caught talking to himself. Ozpin couldn’t help but to chuckle yet again. Miss Rose’s eyes looked drained and there was dark circles underneath this silver eyes of hers, his heart goes out to his students, sympathizing with them being so tired.

However time was of the essence, they needed to be _ready_. They needed to train and train hard. But Ozpin wasn’t an unfair teacher, oh no. Just because they had to train doesn’t mean they could make it fun.

So today was more an exercise then anything else. More so, it was a race. To induce more stamina and endurance.

“Why do I get the feeling this is more for _me_ then anyone else?”

The boy was pouting again, Ozpin let out another scoff if fondness, _“I’ve noticed that physical endurance is something they’ve **all** been lacking. But —and not to be unkind— you have too, Oscar. But that isn’t your fault. You’ve come a long way in a short time, but training never stops, even when you are an adult.” _

Their objective was to run the equivalent of a 2 mile race from one side of the Haven’s forest to the other.

And while Miss Valkyrie, who was normally a ball of energy seemed _unimpressed_ with this idea. Miss Rose, however, seemed _ecstatic_ at the thought of running at top speed.

That was, _until_ he had Oscar inform them all that they would not be using their Semblances.

That the focus of this exercise was stamina based would only heightened the possibility of breaking. They would need to use their wits without their semblances. 

Something that everyone else was _not_ keen on doing, their groans of protest mixed simultaneously with one another.

However, the catch to this was; that whoever made it back first, whomever was the first to win, and as an added bonus would be given a free pass on tomorrow’s training session. 

Now _that_ seemed to start everyone’s gears, for before Qrow even counted to three, they were off running through the forest at break neck speed.

All except, for Oscar. “Why are you making me go so slow?” He asked, running a little harder to catch up with the others.

 _“Slow and steady wins the race, my boy.”_ Ozpin felt the boy roll his eyes at him.

“Seriously? Tortoise and the Hare?”

_“It’s basic fact, Oscar. While everyone is sprinting to and fore at their top speed, you’ll be at your best. Just keep moving forward, Oscar. Win or lose, you’re doing your best.”_

Oscar smile at the compliment and started running. 

But stopped a few minutes later. When he was half way down the trail, he tilted his head in confusion at first, noticing the walls for a cliff side had these strange symbols all along the smooth texture of the stone. 

Even more strangely, he felt _drawn_ to them, despite the fact that the cave itself was practically _dripping_ with an eerie feeling. “Hey Oz?” He asked as his feet slowly began to move him forward to the entrance, “I don’t remember that cave being there before.”

 _“And nor have I...”_ Ozpin added thoughtfully, as Oscar moved towards the entrance, on the side of the walls he noticed the markings he had mentioned and he realized that they were more then markings, they were symbols, carved out letter in a language neither of them knew. “ _I have_ _seen markings such as these before.”_

Oscar was showing some agitation, standing there in front of the cave entrance, “We shouldn’t go in right? This just screams like a bad idea…”

”Indeed, it does.”

Despite this, Oscar felt a magnetic pull, “And yet, I feel this _pull_ —?

 _“Yes, I feel it as well.”_ Ozpin agreed solemnly, his tone still held one of thoughtfulness. “ _It would seem as if something is guiding us in._ ”

“Should we leave?”

_“That would seem like the safest option.”_

Oscar nodded, turning he used his hand and touched the wall for added support only for the wall to erupt in an abrupt flash of light, the symbols lite up. From the cave entrance to the inner walls of the dark cavern, symbols of all different shapes glowed brightly. Then a high wind blew out through the end of the cave, whisking passed Oscar.

“O-Oz?”

Ozpin has come to realized that’s this has been a grave mistake, the uneasy feeling he had before had now increased tend food, he did not know what this cave was or why it was here, that didn’t matter, they should not have come here.

 _“Run!"_ Oscar didn’t need to be told twice. He took off in the opposite direction. But before the boy could be get far enough away, there was another blinding flash of light and everything went completely dark.

And when consciousness came to his head felt disoriented, and his body felt like it had been hit by a speeding train. And as the haze cleared, he heard someone shouting, but his ears heard only static. Opening his eyes, he saw everyone standing above him, their young faces filled with concern, his ears popped and he could finally understand what Miss Rose was saying, "Oscar! Are you okay?”

It took him all of two seconds to realize something was wrong, something very wrong. With those four words, a pit formed in his stomach. For he was not Oscar he was Ozpin in full control of Oscar’s body and what’s more what was even more alarming was that when he looked around, the boy that he has spend all these months getting to know and coming to view as someone he genuinely cared for, was no where to be found.

“Oscar?” Miss Rose repeated again, but Ozpin didn’t even acknowledge her presence, their voices fading away as he placed his — _Oscar’s?_ — hand over his — _their?_ — heart and squeezed.

“Oscar?” He murmured, closing his eyes he focused, desperately trying to find that strand, that connection that tethered them together. “Where are you?” And when he found that string, their connection he latched onto it with all the strength he had only for it to not burst to life in a bright green light like it always did. No, it just laid there, limp, like a pathetic shell of his former self. 

Then he felt a ping, as those a pin had drop to the ground and he was immediately thrown back physically and mentally, the shock of it all broke his concentration and he fell backward.

He was only dimly aware of all his friends crowding around him once again, their voices so concerned for him, _No not him, **Oscar** … _Thoughts reeling, emotions on overdrive, Ozpin shot up from the ground like a topping toy. “Hey, kiddo what’s…”

Oz felt tears sting his Oscar’s eyes, “I’m not Oscar,” Gods, he didn’t even sound like mixture of their voices anymore, it was just Ozpin’s voice now.

Qrow’s eyes widened, recognizing his voice almost immediately “Oz?” Ozpin clinched at the hands in his control and ran them through the brown hair that belonged to Oscar, it all felt so wrong being in control without his boy by his side.

It was like a part of himself had been amputated.

“He’s gone.”

Saying it out loud made his heart ache, his breathe hitched in his throat, and his hands shook. As he remembered a time, so so very long ago where children ran around his legs, he remembered their giggles and innocent faces. Remembered how much he adored them, loved them like any pa… _person_ should. And when he thought of Oscar, he felt that exact same feeling. He’s made so many mistakes, so many, and has lost many because of them, he wouldn’t… he _refused_ to let this curse take Oscar too.

_But what if they already had?_

The thought made his heart skip a beat in fear.

_No, not Oscar too, please…_

The onslaught of questions thrown his way was enough to make him feel like a cornered animal, he couldn’t think, his emotions were overwhelming enough but to add their concerns and confusion weren’t helping.

_“What do you mean gone?”_

_“Professor, where’d Oscar go?”_

_“Can you get him back?”_

“I don’t _know_!” Words couldn’t describe out lost he felt, he didn’t know what to do. and he hated it.

Oscar was gone, he could no longer feel the boy and there was _nothing_ he could do… He remembered the relic in his hand, asking questions, his appearance different then before. Ozpin flinched, hands tugging at those brown curls again.

_What was he to do?_

What _could_ he do, when he was dealing with a force he didn’t understand?

Taking a breathe, he steeled himself, he wasn’t going to give up. He wouldn’t lose anyone else, not again.

He _refused_

“Please, everyone be quiet. I have an idea but I need complete silence for it to work.” Without another word, and a second glance to them, Ozpin sat down on the ground once again and focused. Closing his eyes he once again searched for that thread, that line that connected them to one another, desperately searching for that link that would lead him to Oscar. And once he found it again, he gripped it tightly in his hands and followed it. And _of course_ it took him to the doors, again. The doors that represented who they both were; heart and soul.

Two different souls sharing one body, two doors representing two minds of equal thoughts and feelings.

Taking notice that the string lead to the first door, the one that looked newer, the pine wood looked sleeker and perfectly sanded. as did the grass along side the corners. Ozpin practically threw himself at it. He twisted the handle but it wouldn’t budge not a single bit, it was locked. That was cause for even more concern because Oz had no idea these doors could be locked? These were after all merely happening within Oscar’s heart, within their bond. Oscar’s door preventing him from entering was _not_ a good sign. Keeping a firm hand on the handle Oz gave two knocks against the wood while simultaneously twisted the handle at the same time. “Oscar?” He called out trying so hard to keep his voice at a calming composure, but his heart was betraying him with how fast it was beating. “Are you there?” Because he had to be there, this is where their bond lead him, right?

_He had to be there._

When no answer came after several more knocks, Ozpin’s non existent pulse was quickening, he was genuinely becoming fearful now. Then finally about another two minutes of calling out Oscar’s name. He finally heard a low voice behind the door, his heart leaped with relief. “Oscar!”

“Wha…?” Oscar’s voice was muffled by the door but Oz hurt him groan rather disjointedly, as if he were in pain… _Please, don’t let him be injured. An injury in here would be dangerous for him._ “Ozpin..?” He heard rustling from the other side of the door, and Oz was still trying to get the door open, getting more frantic by the minute, the longer they stayed like this, the worse things would become, he could _feel_ it. “Where are you? Where am I?”

To answer Oscar’s question, Ozpin thumped the wooden obstacle with the side of his fist, causing the boy to let out a yelp of surprise at the sudden sound. “I’m _here_ , and _you_ are locked in a door that represents yourself. But something’s wrong, the door isn’t suppose to be locked— And I can feel it growing weaker by every second you’re in there. You can feel it, can’t you? Our connection dwindling, fading away?”

 _Fear_ that wasn’t his own, washed over him like a waterfall, and his heart clinched in his chest with guilt, because now Oscar was scared. That couldn’t both be panicking, one of them had to stay calm and since Oz was the adult he knew he had to steel himself, no matter how scared he was. “Are you hurt? When you went down I felt your pain...”

_Please, say no.._

“I mean… I feel like really weak,” Oscar answered truthfully, “But I’m not _hurt_ exactly.” And one would think that would ease some of Oz’s concern, but in reality it only heightened it. His insistence on getting the door open increased, he turned the handle frantically, fear dripping off of him in waves. “Oz?” Oscar’s voice sounded small and nervous, no doubt feeling the old man’s own emotions. “What’s wrong?”

“We have to get you out. Do you understand? It’s not just our connection fading away, Oscar. It’s _you_ as well.”

Oscar’s terror mixed with his own, “ _What_!?”

“We have to get you out! This is locked from your side, Oscar. Open it.”

Ozpin watched the door shake from the other side, but no matter how hard they pushed, it wouldn’t open. “I can’t! There’s no lock! There’s not even a handle here! I-I _can’t_!”

He had to shake off Oscar’s fears as well as his own growing anxiety, he had to be focus, just focus. “Yes, you _can_! You just have to focus, remember? Be calm, it’ll be okay.” Oz listened and thought his words might calm the boy down like they always did but they didn’t, they had no effect, Oscar was now just as panic as he, himself, felt but would not express. Then as though it evaporated from think air, Oz felt a overwhelming tiredness consume him, one that most obviously wasn’t his own, his heart dropped to his non existing stomach. “Oscar?”

A loud _thump_ that shook the door, was his only answer as he heard a muffle sigh come from Oscar, “I can’t… Oz…? M’ tired.” Oscar’s voice was so weak, so fragile. “I’m sorry.”

Ozpin’s resolve broke with that one word, and focus, his calm but cracking demeanor completely shattered as he attacked the door like a wild animal. He pushed, clawed, and shoved at the wood, his thoughts were nothing but a mantra of Oscar’s name, doing absolutely everything he could to get to his boy. “Oscar… _Oscar_!”

Those faces flashed before his eyes, but now Oscar had now joined them. They had been so precious to him, and now so was this short farm boy who wanted to grow up to be something great. Guilt crushed his heart, the fight in him disappearing as he crumbled to ground, head bowed, tears cascading down his cheeks.

_Please_

_Not again_

_Please…_

It wasn’t suppose to be this way, he was suppose to have years, so many years with Oscar, to train him, bond with him, not a mere few months.

_It wasn’t fair_

“I’m sorry.” The pain was back, all over like before. But this was worse then any physical wound, no mentally, emotionally. Everything hurt, his heart was bleeding with agony and there was nothing he could do about it, “Forgive me, I am so sorry.” Blinking through his tears, he saw that Oscar had somehow managed to fit half of his palm through the gap underneath the door. His heart bleed even more at the sight; even weak and fading, the boy was still trying to get to him, to reach him. Ozpin’s lip trembled, as he gently he gripped those fingers with his own, desperately holding onto Oscar, his head bowed in mourning.

“…O…z? Da—?”

His shoulders were racked with violent tremors, his boy’s voice sound so weak, he was holding on by nothing but a sliver now. _Please, not him too. Please— please, don’t take him anyway. Not someone else I care about!_ He knew he was begging, that he sound more like a grieving parent then a famous headmaster, but Oz was past the point of giving a damn.

 _Please, I beg you! I love him too much, just like them! Please!_

He knew it was strange to care so much about their reincarnations, he knew that it was so unheard of to be this attached to their hosts… to care _this_ much, to the degree of _family_ but, he _was_ and it was as simple as that. 

Ozpin had such a soft spot for children, but this was different. He knew from the moment his soul joined with Oscar’s, that it was different then before. Different then what his was with the own voice in his head had been like.   
  


_please, please don’t take him._   
  


_please_

Then abruptly, as though it was a saving grace from the heavens, several lights fell from above them.

Ozpin watched with tears still in his eyes as the door fade completely away. 

Once gone, it _finally_ revealed Oscar, whom was playing on the ground, who looked spend and tired and drained but still somehow managed to push himself out onto his elbows. 

Ozpin watched as the boy rose his head. 

The _second_ their faces found one another, their connection _sparked_ back to life like a blaze of fire. 

Shock flooded the both of them at once, then _confusion_ , and then finally _relief_. In one swift motion, Ozpin pulled Oscar out of the door frame and into his arms, almost crushing him in a bear hug, and while Oscar may still be weak right now, he still returned the embrace just as fiercely as he could.

Then the _fear_ set in, and soon Ozpin started feeling Oscar’s fear along with his own. The boy had been so scared, so very _terrified_ of fading away into nothingness, of ceasing to exist completely. 

And Oz’s own fear seeped through those cracks, his terror of losing Oscar, someone else he’s grown to cared so much about. Petrified of no longer having the boy by his side when he was still so very young and had so much to do, and see and be as a person.

Together, they cried, shamefully and with no remorse

 _Thank you,_ Oz whispered silently to the people, the others who helped them somehow. _Thank you_

 _“I’m sorry!”_ They said in complete unison, they blinked and then laughed wetly, still holding the other, still shaking from the fear.

“I should have ran away _faster_!” Oscar barely had time to say before Ozpin interrupted him.

“I should have told you to run _sooner_.” Oz tightened his arms around the boy, refusing to let go, because this had been too close, way too close. “But my curiosity made me hesitate.”

Oscar’s voice was muffled against him, his body still shaking from the trauma. “It felt awful, fading away like that. I was so weak but scared too, but I didn’t have any strength to fight like you’ve told me and then I saw lights, I saw my _parents_ — but I didn’t want to go even _then_ … And I felt how scared you were and I couldn’t just… I—”

Oz knew he didn’t have a physical heart to break, but all the same, it broke anyway for how small Oscar looked and sounded in his arms. “ _Shh_..” He soothed gently, carding a hand through those brown curls, “I know, but it’s okay. You’re safe, you didn’t fade away.”

Oscar’s frame continued to shake, “But I almost—”

“But you _didn’t_.” Oz countered, as though he was trying to convince himself as well as Oscar. “You did _not_ fade, you are right _here_. And so am _I_ and so is our connection.” Ozpin closed his eyes, his chest felt constricted, tight still coming down from the shock of almost losing Oscar, gripping the tether that bound them to each other in his clinched hands. “I _wasn’t_ going to let you go, you understand?”

Finally Oscar nodded, and slowly he could feel the boy calming down. “Thanks Oz… I— Just thanks for being here, for helping me.”

Oz let a fond smile grace his features, as he too started to calm down from their scare, “I always will be. Even long after you’re grown.”

“Oh no.” Oscar muttered teasingly, still holding onto Ozpin, still silently crying. “That’s the last thing I need, an old man floating around in my head when I’m thirty.”

Oz chuckled, giving Oscar one final squeeze before letting go. “Now what do you say about going back?” He inquired softly, a smiled still on his face. “The others are probably pacing with worry.”

Oscar took a deep breathe and nodded once more, “Okay.”

And when they finally awoke, they were back in the same place they had been before when this all started, sitting in that patch of land in Haven, everything was exactly the same, it was like time had stood still while Oscar and Oz were in that place, as the world continued to turn, completely unaware of what had almost happened.

However, the only thing that changed, that wasn’t there, was the cave. It was gone, vanished into thin air, as though it had never been here at all. But it had been, it did, they knew it had been.

“Good riddance.” Oscar mumbled, and Oz scoffed in agreement.

 _“Indeed.”_ Oz watched Oscar stand up, dusting off his clothes, then an almost overwhelming sense of relief washed over him, here he was again, standing by Oscar’s side, like the scare that happened moments before, hadn’t actually happened at all, but it had and it did happen and they were different because of it, closer even, but also still exactly the same, in terms of who they still were. And as his boy turned around to meet their friends onslaught of concerned questions.

Oz wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wasn't going to post this on here, it was just going to be a short thing for Tumblr, but because of the length of it I decided that I could post it on here as well.
> 
> Now for a few things people might ask (possibly); What was the cave? I honestly have no idea, it was simply the best idea I could personally come up with with the prompt I got on Tumblr. 
> 
> What were the symbols on the cavern walls? Once again I don't have a clear idea as to what they are, I just thought they'd be a neat addition. 
> 
> And finally Why did light attack Oz and Oscar and left Oscar trap in his own head, slowly making Oscar disappear? Originally it was simply to get Ozpin into full dad panic mode but then it became a more reason for Ozpin to verbally admit that he cared about Oscar like he does/did with his own daughters back during his second incarnation. Is it weird, yeah. But I genuinely had fun writing this and I loved writing Oz panicking, since we haven't really seen him in such a state of despair or at least not.
> 
> Anywoo, I hope you all enjoy this random story, feedback is always welcomed and appreciated down in the comments and I will see you all later.


End file.
